Is gel polish safe for kids?

Dermatologist Karyn Grossman, MD, shares advice for parents on why gel polish is not safe to use for children, and the negative effects it can have on them.
Is Gel Nail Polish Safe For Kids?
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Is gel polish safe for kids?

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I strongly discourage my patients from allowing their teenagers to get gel polishes. Teenagers are very drawn to them, they can last for 2, 3, 4 weeks and maybe, some teenagers even say 2 months on their toes. However, the problem with these polishes are, is that they actually bind to the nail. When they bind to the nail, it means you have 2 issues that come up. The first is, is that in order to remove the polish, t needs to be soaked and then it needs to be scraped or ground off, and that actually starts to ruin the nail by itself. Second thing is, is when these tight seals are formed and a little bit lift up, water or moisture often gets trapped underneath and it's a very common cause of nail fungus developing in children. Certainly, adults do these and we see a lot of nail fungus problems in adult from these, however, I don't think I'd want to subject my child to the medications needed to remove that nail fungus at that age.

Dermatologist Karyn Grossman, MD, shares advice for parents on why gel polish is not safe to use for children, and the negative effects it can have on them.

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Karyn Grossman, MD

Dermatologist

Karyn Grossman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology in Santa Monica, CA and New York City. Her offices are "home" to thousands of elite patients with the highest of standards. Dr. Grossman attended a highly competitive, accelerated six-year premedical and medical program at Boston University and completed her residency and fellowship at Harvard University. Dr. Grossman has been featured in many broadcast and print media outlets to provide consumers expert information on cosmetic procedures, skin care and sun protection. Some television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News, the Martha Stewart Show, and The Doctors. She has been listed as one of the top cosmetic surgeons by Town & Country, Vogue, C Magazine, More Magazine, The New York Times, and L.A. Confidential. 

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Transcription: 
I strongly discourage my patients from allowing their teenagers to get gel polishes. Teenagers are very drawn to them, they can last for 2, 3, 4 weeks and maybe, some teenagers even say 2 months on their toes. However, the problem with these polishes are, is that they actually bind to the nail. When they bind to the nail, it means you have 2 issues that come up. The first is, is that in order to remove the polish, t needs to be soaked and then it needs to be scraped or ground off, and that actually starts to ruin the nail by itself. Second thing is, is when these tight seals are formed and a little bit lift up, water or moisture often gets trapped underneath and it's a very common cause of nail fungus developing in children. Certainly, adults do these and we see a lot of nail fungus problems in adult from these, however, I don't think I'd want to subject my child to the medications needed to remove that nail fungus at that age.